Call for responsible media reporting

Principal and owner of Jack and Jill Elementary Pre-School & Child Minding Cecilia Kenevi is deeply concerned that the media is losing its essence of reporting fairly, accurately, and ultimately being responsible.
“Freedom of the media also comes with responsibly,” Kenevi says.
Mrs Kenevi, who manages Jack and Jill since 1988 says being responsible calls for high quality vetting and use of logical editorial judgments by journalists, sub-editors and editors to consider whether a story gets a run or not.

Jack and Jill students celebrate end of school year sharing food.

She was traumatised and upset that South Pacific Post trading as Post Courier published a story titled “School director arrested for sexual abuse”, Monday, August 4, page 4 accusing a director of Jack and Jill to have committed the offence.
“It is troubling me when I always have confidence that our journalists and the media always use logical judgments to critically consider material facts and to which news value category the story is considered news.”
“The merits of the alleged accusation will be determined by the committal court and I am not inclined to delve into it,” Kenevi said.
“We are however confident that the court will deliver justice and the truth will prevail.”
Mrs Kenevi says the director accused is also traumatised about the allegation which emanates from a child and the media report is licking the wound.
“I can’t say any more than this but the Post Courier can go to court and follow on with the report as they have started reporting by giving prominence to it with a pointer on front page and then a story without a by line, and worst still the content has a lot to be desired,” she said.
“The story published at face value is libelous and amounts to serious defamation,” Kenevi said.
Mrs Kenevi says Jack and Jill has produced some of the best elites of this country and she has also received overwhelming support from parents who have children attending Jack and Jill that she files a defamatory lawsuit against Post Courier.
“I will think about this after the dust settles,” she said.

I would like to clarify that I understand it was normal practice journalists get reports from police but I emphasise it was paramount journalists use logical judgments and reasoning to consider whether the facts or evidence surrounding the charge or charges have substance to have the story published or should be suppressed until corroborating evidence were established,” Kenevi said.